mmmmp,mmMmmmmj 



■wtvwWW 



'■''""' mMi 



'>4MJ^' 






iS«kS«g8' 






*^y^«y^ 



.lUS!®^ 



:ww, /WUM 



ILIBIIARY OF CONGRESS J 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. fBB 
I iB'*.'«.-"%.-'%.<a<.-m.^,'%,^.<^-8,<^..<%,.<8,,.;^..^,3,^,^, n>r 



^VVl 



m^mu, 



!Md 






ffifflSM 









^^^^^^^^^^JyV'J^'.^ 



ir.,, ..,.,,,.^&yQwuL^'^SHmf^4^i&ig&^ 

;i. /r ;:. ; ■ f i ,1 A (! /^ 






W'W/W^, 



i"v.^ ^ v^:,-^«;;v= '^^^^^^^i^^^ 



^ii^^^gc^^''*^®^^^ 



-■■^i^s'bi-i-s,^™^^ 



w^yw- 









'Mmmi 



VV^wVl 



,,si-^* 



-«ii!«*^SS^JI?»» 






"'i 1 i A IJ I IJ 



^7'i;vv^^i 



iUyUu^ 



v.vy.v 






g^WSJt^ 



\;V!V,'VVVv^ 



yyu\^vjgvvuv^\ 






iWWu.|iM! 



i'^l!t^,i^;,Q',;>'''S:.y''i;'S' 



''^««"aii! 



^Viwin^i^i 






,,.=««!»!„ 



nRRlStlPiSRi^ 



vP,7l^^^5fT-'i~i; 



/^ovguuuuggU^Jy^yyVg 






VVv^. 



^^wogot 



,^v/l^^^^ V -,»>.*#■ 



i^fe^Ml^ii^?^ 



j'^vi^g^W^WW^av 



?\«/Wv^ 






1 .V /* 



-i^^^ 



nPISIl^l^A^A 






'^^v^^^yyu 



^V^V^VSi'Vv''vVv 





mmmm^- 






THE LIFE OF 



ENERAL PUTNAM. 



BY P^XJL PRYOR. 



TN the year 1740, the people hvmg in Pomfret, a small town in the 
State of Connecticut, had their sheep and goats killed by a huge 
wolf, who avoided all tlxe traps set to catch her. In the summer she 
would fly to the woods, and returning in the winter, again kill the 
farmers' stock. At length five farmers agreed to chase the wolf, and not 
to stop until she was killed. They tracked her through the snow to a 
cave, and here they used dogs, guns, straw and sulphur, to draw her 
out; but she would not come from her den. The dogs that were sent 
in, came out badly wounded, and would not return, and the burning- 
straw and sulphur had no effect. Then one of the farmers agreed to 
enter. He tied a rope to his feet, so that in case of danger he could 
be drawn out, for the entrance to the cave was too small for him to turn 
round; and, taking in his hand a lighted torch, he crawled in on his 
hands and knees. By its light he slowly entered into the den, and soon 
he saw the eye-balls of the wolf shining like two diamonds. The old 
wolf gave a loud growl when she saw the torch, and the bold farmer 
having found her, gave the signal to be drawn out, which his friends did 
so quickly, fearing the wolf had attacked him, that they tore the shirt 
from his back. Loading his gun with nine buck-shot, and with it in one 
hand, and his torch in the other, he went back into the wolf's den. 
The wolf saw him, and with a terrible howl, gnashing her teeth, and 



The Life of General Putnam. 

rolling her eyes, was about to jump upon him, when he raised his gun 
and fired. The noise of the gun in the Httle cave almost made him deaf, 
and the smoke nearly choked him, so that he was again drawn out by 
his friends. Waiting for the smoke to escape, he entered the cave for 
the third time, until he came where the wolf lay. Placing his torch 
to her nose, he found she was dead, and taking hold of her by the ears, 
and giving the signal on the rope, they were dragged out together. 

This brave man, who dared the wolf in her own den, was Israel 
Putnam, who was afterwards called Old Put, or The Iron Son of 76. 
He was born at Salem, in the State of Massachusetts, and was twenty 
years of age when this event took place. 

When a boy, he always tried to do more than the other boys of the 
village, and in the games of that time, such as running, jumping, wrest- 
ling, and pitching the bar, he was always ahead. Farming was then 
his delidit, and he was often known to do the work of a man. 

In the village of Pomfret there lived, during the youth of Putnam, 
a boy who was the terror of the neighborhood, and of whom all the 
young people of the town were in constant fear. He was tall for his 
years, strong and muscular, cruel, bitter, and unmerciful. Many a 
younger and smaller boy felt the weight of his fist, and if they replied 
to liis insults, or vexed him in any way, they were beaten almost to a 
jelly. He did not wait for cause to attack anyone against whom he 
entertained a hate, but would trump up some false story, accuse his 
intended victim with having uttered it, and when he met a denial 
would fall upon him and whip him. He combined the treachery of the 
panther with the strength of the lion. For years had he thus continued 
the bully of the village, and no boy was found brave or reckless enough 



The Life of General Putnam. 

to attempt to put him down. This was the state of affairs when Putnam 
reached that period of boyhood, bordering on manhood, when one has 
not entirely ceased to be a boy, but yet has not become a man in 
strength, namely, about the age of fourteen years. Work on a farm 
had brought into splendid development the muscles of the arms, legs, 
and shoulders of Putnam; exposure to the sun had bronzed his face 
and hands, and taken altogether, he was a splendid specimen of the 
youth who declared themselves in favor of our early liberties, and main- 
tained their declarations and principles on the many battle fields of 
the Revolutionary War. As he had now reached an age when he could 
be safely sent to the village to transact such business as his employer 
once had to attend to in person, he was brought in contact with the 
boys of the village, and at once the glaring eyes of the village bully 
had marked him for a victim. Many were the methods resorted to, to 
exasperate Putnam, but he was of a peaceful disposition, and took no 
notice of them, outwardly, though perhaps he did not entirely forget either 
the remarks, or the person who uttered them. This word-war failing to 
have the effect he intended, the bully waited until Putnam again came 
to the village, and calling a number of boys around him, he waited 
until Putnam, who was in the village store making his purchases, came 
forth with his arms full of bundles, when he approached and struck 
him. This was too much for Putnam, and dropping his bundles he 
threw off his coat, his eyes meanwhile glistening like twin-stars, and 
rushed upon his antagonist, the victor of a hundred pitched battles. 
Long and bitterly they fought, and from all parts of the village the boys 
gathered to witness the contest. The blows of Putnam fell upon his 
adversary thick and fast, and with the strength of a sledge hammer. 



The Life of General Putnam. 

Again and again was the bully knocked to the earth, and again would 
he rise to his feet and resume the fight, until a well-directed blow, 
delivered with terrible fury, brought the bully to his knees, and he pite- 
ously cried for mercy. Putnam never struck a fallen foe, and turning 
away contemptuously, he left the beaten and bleeding bully among his 
village companions, who rejoiced at his defeat. For this act, Putnam 
endeared himself to his associates, and thereafter the village bully was 
as quiet as a mouse when the cat is on the watch. 

Soon the war between France and England broke out, and Putnam was 
made a Captain. To show how he never left a friend, even at the risk 
of his own life, it is stated, that with a small party of soldiers he was sent 
to examine the fort at Crown Point, and to find out the number of guns 
and men it had, and to bring back word to the Commanding General. 
They could not all get close enough to the place without being seen, as 
the woods was filled with Indians, so Putnam left his men at a safe dis- 
tance, and with Captain Rogers, he carefully crawled forward, hiding in 
the tall grass, and behind the forest-trees, till they got so close to the fort 
as to be able to report all that was needed. They were then about to 
tui-n back, when Captain Rogers, who was a little distance from Putnam, 
met a stout Frenchman, who at one seized his gun with one hand, and 
tried to stab him with the other, at the same time calHng for help, 
which call the French soldiers heard and answered. At this time, if 
Putnam had run, he could easily have saved himself, for he had not been 
seen; but he scorned to fly. He would not fire his gun, for that would 
alarm the French camp and the Indians; but seeing the danger of his 
friend, who was struggling with his enemy, he ran riii)idly to them, and 
with the butt end of his nuisket laid the Frenchman dead at his feet. 



The Life of General Putitam. 

Running rapidly, they soon joined the party they had left behind, and 
returned to the Commanding General with a full report. He, on another 
occasion, when acting as a scout, found himself surrounded by the senti- 
nels of the enemy. They fired upon him, and he fled, and when he had 
reached a safe distance he laid down by the side of a log to sleep. 
Feehng thirsty he raised his canteen, in which he liad some rum, to take 
a drink, but found it empty. It was pierced with the balls the enemy 
had fired at him, and not a drop of rum was left. The next day he 
found fourteen buUet holes in his blanket 

As will be seen, Israel Putnam bore a charmed life. He was always 
ahead of his men, and where the balls fell around him like hail, and 
yet he escaped unhurt. He did not stay in the rear and send his sol- 
diers on to fight, but he always led them, and they followed where he 
led. 

Soon, however, an event happened which nearly put an end to his life. 
When marching through the woods with his troops, he was fired upon 
by a large body of Indians, who had hidden themselves behind * rocks, 
and trees, and Putnam was taken prisoner, and tied by the Indians who 
captured him to a tree. The Indians drove Putnam's soldiers back, and 
were driven back in turn, so that at one time Putnam was between 
both fires. The balls flew from both sides; Many struck the tree to 
which he was tied, while some passed through the sleeves and skirts of 
his coat. In this state, unable to move his body, to stir his limbs, or 
even avert his head, he was kept for an hour. Soon an Indian came 
along. He could have killed Putnam with a blow of his tomahawk, 
but he wished to frighten him, and standing a short distance from the 
tree, he threw his tomahawk at him, to see how near his head he 



^^ 



(fS 



iM^ 



^- 






■"m. 



u 



/ 



)im 



■0m 






-ji«i>. 



^^j^. 

^^L 



^ 









i * 



♦i? 






I 



The Life of General Putnaryi. 

could come. Many times he came within a hair of it, and at last 
when he left, a brutal French soldier, who was even worse than the 
Indian, pressed his gun against Putnam's breast, and pulled the trigger. 
It missed fire. Again and again he tried it, but every time it failed to 
discharge, and maddened at his failure to kill him, he struck him on 
the cheek with it, and left him. In the battle the Indians had won, 
and when they returned to where Putnam was tied to the tree, they set 
up a shout, and danced around him, shaking their tomahawks. Soon, 
however, some of them came with wood, which they piled around him. 
Poor Putnam now saw that his hour had come, and that he must die. 
He thought of his home, and his wife and children, and his old friends, 
but his cheek did not turn pale, nor did his limbs tremble, for his heart 
was as brave as the day he faced the wolf in her den. They set fire 
to the brush, the flames began to rise, and Putnam could feel the heat, 
slight at first, but soon terrible to bear. He turned his eyes to Heaven. 
It was at this very moment that a heavy rain cloud passed over, and 
the rain fell upon the burning wood and nearly put it out. Still, the 
fire burned slowly, the Indians bending down and blowing it, to hasten 
the death scene; but the wood, damp and wet from the rain, would 
not burn briskly, and before the Indians could make further preparations, 
a French officer, who had been told of what they were doing, rushed 
upon them, scattered the fire, cut the cord which fastened him to the 
tree, and Israel Putnam was saved. 

He was taken a prisoner to Canada, but was exchanged. The war 
was soon ended, however, and Israel Putnam cast aside the sword for 
the plough, and tilled his farm again. In all the battles of the war, then 
ended, he was well known for his courage, and wlien he gave up liis 



The Life of General Putnam. 

military life and retired to civil life, he carried with him the love of all 
his countrymen. 

The first battle of the Revolutionary War took place in April, 1776, at 
Lexington, and the news of the shedding of blood spread through the 
land with the speed of the wind. Everywhere, swords that had rusted 
for years were taken down and polished, old muskets were cleaned, 
pistols were examined, and everything was done to fight, and drive the 
English troops from our shores. Israel Putnam, who was working in his 
field when he heard the news, left his plough in the middle of the field, 
unyoked his team, and without even waiting to change his clothes, set 
off for the scene of the battle: but finding that the English had fled to 
Boston, he went back to his own village, and raising a regiment of men, 
marched to the front. He was then made a Major General. To show 
how much his services were valued, the English General offered him a 
large sum of money, another position of Majot General in his army, if 
he would leave the Americans and join him, which offer he refused 
with scorn. When the Battle of Bunker Hill took place, Putnam com- 
manded a part of the troops. Many of them had never been in battle 
before; they were armed with such guns as they could pick up in their 
homes, and they had no uniform, each one being clad in their own 
clothes, of all colors and styles. When the English soldiers marched 
up the hill, Putnam said to his men, "Do not fire, boys, until you see 
the whites of their eyes;" and right well did they obey. Onwards and 
upwards marched the enemy, and when they were close enough, Put- 
nam's men rose to their feet, and firing upon them, drove them pell- 
mell to the foot of the hill. Again they marched up the hill, and 
again were driven back with great loss. The powder and balls of the 



The Life of General Putnam. 

Americans had now been exhausted, and as General Warren, who com- 
manded them, had been killed, they were obliged to fly, the English 
soldiers not following, however. It was in this fight that Putnam's cool- 
ness showed itself, and ever after, during the war, he was never at a 
loss how to act, as will be seen from the following anecdote. At the 
battle of Princeton, a Captain McPherson was badly wounded and taken 
prisoner by Putnam's men. Fearing he might die, he sent for Putnam, 
and begged him to allow a friend of his, who was in the English army, 
to come to him, and draw up his will. Putnam did not wish to refuse 
a dying man's request, and at the same time, as he had but fifty men, 
he did not desire that his enemy should know how few he had. It 
was then he thought of a method by which he could grant the dying 
soldier's request. He sent a flag of truce, with strict orders that it 
should not return until dark. He then had lights placed in all the rooms 
of the college, and when the English officer returned with the flag, Put- 
nam had his fifty soldiers paraded in front of the officer's window every 
few minutes during the night. The officer thinking they were different 
companies of soldiers, and not the same one, reported, on his return to 
the English camp, that General Putnam had five thousand men in his 
army at tlie very least. His caution in regard to this officer was needed, 
for it was well known that the American army was filled with English 
spies, who carried back to their Generals a full report of what they saw. 
If caught, they were hung, and many lost their lives, but the English 
Generals paid so well for men to perform this duty, that they were 
never at a loss for them. 

A Lieutenant, named Palmer, belonging to the English army, was 
caught in the xVmerican camp at Peekskill. He was tried and sentenced 



The Life of General Putnam. 

to be hung. Governor Tryon, who commanded a division of the Enghsh 
army, claimed him as an officer, and threatened to hang the prisoners 
in his hands if he was harmed. To this General Putnam answered as 
follows : 

Sir : — Nathan Palmer, a lieutenant in your king's service, was taken in 
my camp as a spy — he was condemned as a spij — and you may rest 
assured, sir, he shall be hanged as a spy. 

I have the honor to, &c., 

ISRAEL PUTNAM. 

His Excellency, Governor Tryon. 

P. S.— Afternoon. "He is hanged." 

In order to protect the country near Long Island Sound, and to 
support the soldiers at West Point in case of an attack, Putnam was 
stationed at Reading, in Connecticut. About the middle of the winter, 
while on a visit to his outpost, he heard that Governor Tryon was 
marching with fifteen hundred men to attack him. As he had but one 
hundred and fifty men, and two iron field guns, without horses to drag 
them, he planted them on the top of the hill, and fired on Tryon's 
men, to delay his march. Soon, however, he saw the horsemen coming 
to attack him, and knowing that to stay longer would only result in 
defeat, he sent his men to a swamp near by, where no horse could go. 
He delayed his own flight so long, that he found himself nearly sur- 
rounded, and but one way of escape open. Before him lay a precipice 
so steep, that steps had been cut in the solid rock, so that the people 
of the village might pass to the plain below. In a moment, the English 
horsemen were almost at a sword's length from him, when, turning his 
horse's head towards the precipice, and thrusting his spurs into the 
sides of his steed, he galloped down the stone steps. The horsemen looked 



^ ^'^fSPr 





The Life of General Putnam, 

on in horror, expecting every moment to see him killed by being thrown 
from his horse ; but on he sped, nor did he slacken his pace until he reached 
the level ground below. So surprised were the English soldiers, that they 
did not fire until Putnam was almost out of range, and then one ball of 
the volley went through his hat. No one was daring enough to follow him, 
and before they could go around by the road he was in a place of safety. 
When Governor Tryon heard of this daring feat, he sent Putnam a new 
suit of splendid clothes, to replace the injury done to his hat. This was a 
graceful tribute from an enemy. That Putnam was equally thoughtful of 
the safety of those who were against him is proved by his actions at the 
Battle of Bunker Hill. When the British troops marched the second time 
up the hill. Colonel Small, with other officers of the English army, was in 
front of the line leading their men. They had nearly reached the works, 
when a severe fire was poured upon them, which was terribly fatal. The 
English troops fell back, and as Colonel Small turned to the right and 
left, he saw there was no one standing but himself As he looked 
towards the American line, he saw several guns pointed at him, and 
knowing how well these men could shoot, he gave himself up for lost. 
At this moment, Putnam rushed forward, and striking up the muzzles of 
their pieces with his sword, cried out, "For God's sake, my lads, don't 
fire at that man. I love him as I do my brother." He was obeyed. 
Colonel Small bowed, thanked him, and walked away. 

After an eventful hfe, such as but few know of, loved by his neighbors, 
adored by his countrymen, and honored by his enemies, Israel Putnam 
died at Brooklyn, Connecticut, in the seventy third year of his age. Born 
poor, living by his labor, patient, but persevering, Israel Putnam rose from 
an humble farm-boy to be the senior Major General of the Army of the 
United States of America. When we feel that we have not courage to 
fight the battles of the world, when hope is dying out, and friends desert 
us, let us think of "Old Put," Tue Ikon Son of 70. 




New Picture Books for Little Children. 



IP 



k 



Allf WMlBk. 

BIG PICTURE SERIES. 

Quarto, demi. Six full page Illustrations 
printed in colors in each. 



rv 



rr 



NK 



ej® 



Three Bears, 

Tom Thumb, 

Domestic Animals, 

Visit to the Menagerie, 

Home Games for Little Boys, 

Home Games for Little Girls, 

Yankee Doodle, 

Robinson Crusoe, 

White Cat, 

Hey Diddle Diddle, 

Children in the Wood, 

Jack and the Bean-Stalk. 

Hare and Tortoise, 

Puss in Boots, 

My Mother, 

Hip Van Winkle, 

Yankee Doodle, 

Fat Boy, 

From Charles Dickens. 

Visit of St. Nicholas, 

Old Poem, with New Illustrations. 



)()• 



Santa Clans and his Works. 
Wonderful Adventures of Iluuipty 

Dumpty. — Two Volumes. 
Nursery Rhymes, 
House that Jack Built, 
Wild Animals. — Two Books. 
]\Iother Hubbard's Do; 
Tit, Tiny, and Tittens, 
Four-Footed Friends, 
Three Little Kittens, 
Three Good Friends, 
Cock Robin. 

GOLDEN LIGHT SERIES. 

QUARTO, CAP. 

Illuminations elegantly pi-inted in colors. 
6 kinds. Covers printed in G-ilt. 



fc 



m 



m 



TK !€!::, 15 C'KI^TS KAC'Il, 



n 



Early Life of Jesus, 
Wondrous Works of Jesus, 
Last Days of Jesus, 
The Twelve Apostles, 
Peter's Miraculous Deliverance, 
The Prodigal Son. 



McLOUGHLIN BROS., Publishers, 71 8^ 73 Duane St., N.Y. 



->- 




"^^^^MS^Sh 



immi 






'MW:¥*^»VV, 



v^mi\j\ 



mms'm^.. 















'«WV^W. 



VVV'U' 



■. y/ ,-, 3 ^ ,« 



'^K^'^^^^c/ys;^; 



SS^'iMWWSWS^^ 



t-OjC. - , Xii- 









*ps^ 






iMtfi^ 






mMm 



mi^^mtr^:£'I^i^i^tj y,^^.^\j 









vw^vooi 



;^;..::_';!::J:_ :^''{iV^.scu:.^.;y 






Mm 



W:^H^?^l^Wa^:«„« 



i^rrrHHWJ 



lyjjnij^ujauuu 















'^"""^^^^^^rt^^r 



uaJJMidnjs^i^^^ 



V»»»s 



■Ci'v'O^V 



mm 












\J,\jk/^i\ 



mwmmmm^ 



^m'% 



mMmmm 



Jmm 



V V V 



mm&^ 






'^;®SMKiS«l?MisteSM?fei?S*; 









(Hv!^\M1^'^C;^ 



*i^i^"i'^ri 



iV.y^v^'o 



'^y^^ 






^:^^-^^A^i^y^)J^ 






'^^y^^^^i^g^^^ 






W««Vv 






...ygygyyyy^i^^ 



^^^iiv^^sf^MiMiiss SM 



sjV^rf 



^^v^ 






"^^^^'^'^^wyig^ 






ujJjJJJ^JmM^il^^ 



